Eyes Like Starlight
by desertredwolf
Summary: Hermione and her friends decide to go out and celebrate New Year's Eve in Times Square. But nothing is ever simple when magic and Harry Potter are involved. Old magic, prophecies, romance, Fate, and secrets surround Hermione and Harry. Will they be able to change the course of the future? Or will all be lost? AU and canon-divergent. Post- Deathly Hallows.
1. Prologue: A New Prophecy

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.**

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 **A/N — This story is written for the wonderful Sophy (The Crownless Queen)! This was originally supposed to be a five-hundred or so word oneshot, and then it turned into this. It's taken a while to complete, but I hope you like it anyway.**

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 **Prologue: A New Prophecy**

 **June 23, 1998**

 **London, England**

"Harry, you have to leave."

Sirius and Harry were standing alone in the kitchen of Grimmauld Place. The rest of the Order had left as soon as the meeting had finished, but Sirius had held him back. Dumbledore had looked at him with a sad expression but had exited the room without saying a word.

Whatever his godfather wanted to say to him, Harry could tell Dumbledore knew what it was, and that he also wasn't too pleased about it. On top of that, the Headmaster apparently couldn't do anything about … whatever _it_ was.

That was concerning.

"I was trying to, but you asked me to wait up," Harry replied anxiously. His godfather was acting weird — well, weirder than normal — and it was kind of freaking him out.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it," Sirius growled, briefly resting his face in his hands. He took a breath and launched into the heart of the matter without preamble. "You have to leave Britain — and the sooner, the better."

There was a beat of silence. It was in that brief moment, Harry felt his temper spark and kick into overdrive.

"Excuse me?" He glared viciously at his godfather, who raised his hands in surrender. "I'm sure I misunderstood you, but I thought I heard you just say that I had to leave Britain."

Sirius nodded grimly. "I did."

"No!" Harry shouted, his temper flaring. "Why _the hell_ would I do that? The fight is _here_!"

"Harry—"

"No!" he continued, working himself up."I've finally earned my place here! _I_ got the prophecy out of the Ministry. _I_ fought — and won — against Death Eaters in Hogwarts. I saved Dumbledore! And when I was told I couldn't join the Order until I finished school, I made sure to sit for as many NEWTs as possible — _and_ get all Os!"

"You should have been trying to do that anyway," Sirius muttered. Harry shot him another glare, and Sirius just grinned weakly.

"Everything else I did throughout my years at Hogwarts should have qualified me to join the Order before I graduated. I still finished school because you lot required that. I've earned my place here!" he repeated firmly. "I'm not going anywhere! Especially not now that I _finally_ know everything that is going on."

Harry took a deep breath, ready to provide more reasons about why he belonged with the Order in Britain when Sirius cut him off.

"No one is saying that you haven't _'earned your place here.'_ That doesn't change the fact, however, that you still need to leave," Sirius slowly explained.

Harry clenched his fists and growled.

"Why?"

"Because maybe the rest of us can handle the Horcruxes without you? Or maybe because I'm not sure that I completely believe in this god-forsaken, stupid prophecy. Or perhaps it's because I really don't think that it will come down to just you and him in the end. And even if it _did_ — Harry, please listen to me — why would we put our most valuable fighter in a position to get killed off early?"

Harry glowered at the floor, his emotions rolling. He ground his teeth and refused to respond. It made too much sense, and he wasn't happy about it.

"And … and," Sirius took a shaky breath before continuing, "you have to leave because I had a vision."

His head shot up, and he stared at Sirius in shock. Suddenly, Harry burst into laughter.

"Okay, okay. That was good!" he said, still chuckling slightly after a minute. "Not your best prank, but I still fell for it. Are we done?"

Sirius gazed at Harry, his eyes hard. "I'm not joking."

Harry immediately stopped smiling. He took one look at his godfather's expression and suddenly knew he wasn't messing with him.

"You're serious, aren't you?"

"Last time I checked, I was definitely Sirius," the Marauder said with a grin, before growing solemn again. "Now do you want to hear about my vision or not?"

Harry nodded, and Sirius continued speaking.

"I don't know what to call it really," Sirius continued. " _'Vision'_ sounds too much like Trelawney, so I guess we'll go with _'really weird dream.'_ In this dream, there were trees and snow on the ground, and you were supposed to be there."

He waited for more, but it appeared as if his godfather was done speaking.

"Well, that's anti-climactic," Harry replied dryly. "What do you mean, I was supposed to be there?" Sirius groaned in frustration, running his fingers through his hair.

"I mean, you were there _and_ you were supposed to be there," the Marauder replied unhelpfully. "It felt like a … cosmic appointment or something that you were meant to keep."

"Well, trees and snow could be anywhere!" Harry exclaimed, relieved. "I'm not saying I trust this vision or whatever it was, but it could definitely be somewhere in England—"

Before he could celebrate too much, however, Sirius rapidly shook his head.

"No, no, no. It was in America. I think."

"America?" Harry repeatedly dumbly. "What makes you think _that_?"

"Look, Harry, I can't explain it in any more detail," his godfather responded. "All I know is it's bad if you aren't there. Like, _'You-Won't-Be-Able-to-Defeat-Voldemort-If-You-Have-to-Face-Him'_ type of bad," Sirius said.

Harry pulled up a chair and sat down. His mind was racing a million miles per minute. Trying to sort out his thoughts, he asked the obvious question.

"Why did you see this? You're not a Seer, Sirius. They're really rare, and your specialty is being an Animagus. Besides, what happened to not believing in prophecies?"

Sighing, Sirius pulled up another chair and sat next to Harry. The motion was oddly comforting, and not for the first time, Harry felt his heart ache. His parents should have been here, able to do this. He looked over and saw Sirius staring at him with a sad smile.

It wasn't perfect, but Harry was glad he at least had Sirius.

"I don't know, Harry," his godfather said, his voice tired. "It felt like I was watching something I wasn't really supposed to see, but was being told over and over, _'Pay attention, pay attention.'_ I'm sorry that I can't explain it better than that."

Silence fell over the small kitchen. Sirius fidgeted slightly while he continued to process what had been said.

"So if I don't make it to wherever this place is, I won't be able to defeat Voldemort?" he asked thoughtfully. "What? You don't think my specialty combined with the power of _love_ will be enough?"

"Harry," Sirius smirked, "you and I both know Dumbledore is delusional in thinking that _love_ is Voldemort's weakness! Unless you were planning on giving him a hug and hoping he feels remorse for all that he's done?"

An image of Voldemort awkwardly being hugged by him flashed into his mind.

"Don't say that!" He shuddered; suddenly, he felt ill. "I'm going to have nightmares about hugging Voldemort for _weeks_ now!"

"So will you go?" Sirius asked, not giving Harry a chance to become distracted.

"I don't have much of a choice, now do I?" he replied with a small smile. "I'll leave immediately."

"I think you mean, _We'll_ leave immediately," a voice said from the doorway.

Harry looked up to see Ron and Neville standing in the entrance to the kitchen. Ron was casually winding up an Extendable Ear, as Neville continued to speak.

"He's getting so forgetful in his old age, isn't he, Ron? All this talk about what he did, forgetting that he had help," Neville said casually. Ron nodded in agreement.

"I think I'm ready for another insane adventure. We're overdue," the red-head replied with a grin. "I've never been to America. Have you, Neville?"

"No, I haven't," Neville replied. "When do we leave, Harry?"

"Tonight," Harry replied. He had long since learned to not argue with his friends and to just accept their help without complaint. It made life so much easier when he did that.

"Great" Neville said. "America is a big country. Any idea where to start?"

Harry shrugged and looked at Sirius. Sirius shrugged as well.

"Try New York."

" _Try?_ "Harry asked slightly annoyed. "You mean after you worked so hard to convince me to go quietly, you don't know for sure?"

"Harry, as you so kindly pointed out, I am not a Seer. Ask me to turn into a dog, I will. Ask me to interpret prophetic dreams? You'll get my best guess. New York just feels right," Sirius replied waspishly.

Harry held up his hands in surrender. Ron and Neville both sniggered.

"Okay! I'm sorry, Sirius. New York, it is!"

Sirius nodded. He stood up and drew Harry into a quick hug.

"Stay safe, okay?" his godfather murmured. Harry tightened his hold for a brief moment, and then let go.

"You know me, Sirius!" Harry said, trying to sound cheerful. "Of course, I will."

"We'll keep him safe, Sirius," Ron interjected.

"Yeah," Neville smirked. "We'll keep him out of trouble." Harry sighed.

"I _can_ stay out of trouble without needing help."

Ron walked over to Harry and clapped him on the shoulder. "Sure you can, mate," he said in mock seriousness.

"Come on!" Neville said, pulling Harry out of the kitchen. "Let's go pack before Mrs. Weasley feels like trying to stop us, even though we're all adults."

As Harry started up the stairs with Neville and Ron, the other two men talking about what items they should bring, he swore he heard Sirius murmur,

"I hope they find each other."

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 **A/N 2 — Edited (by me) on Nov. 29, 2017 for clarity. Fixed transitions, SPaG errors, and added a little bit of dialogue.**


	2. Chapter 1: Secrets and a Plan

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.**

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 **Chapter One: Secrets and a Plan**

 **1:38 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

 **New York City, New York**

"Hermione! Let's go!"

Hermione rolled her eyes and allowed herself to be pulled through the busy crowds of Times Square by her two roommates, Parvati and Lavender. It was New Year's Eve and the city was _packed_. For the hundredth time that afternoon, she wondered why, or rather _how_ , she had let her two excitable friends convince her that being out in the cold was better than reading a good book by the warm fireplace.

The three of them had lived together for the last seven years while in school, so _maybe_ they knew just the right way to push her buttons. Lavender, in particular, was frighteningly good at forcing her to cave to her will. Or maybe they had cast a Confundus Charm on her when she hadn't been looking.

It was really fifty-fifty at this point.

Either way, Hermione found that she was surprisingly enjoying herself, despite the frigid temperatures and mobs of tourists. This was the first New Year's Eve since the three of them had graduated from Ilvermorny, and it was nice to celebrate it without worrying about upcoming exams.

"Hermione? _Hermione!_ What do you think?"

Startled out of her thoughts, Hermione looked up to find they had all stopped in front of one of the numerous, brightly lit shops in the area. Lavender was glaring at her, while impatiently tapping her foot. Meanwhile, Parvati was standing behind Lavender; she was visibly trying not to laugh and her eyes were dancing in amusement.

"What do I think about what?" Hermione asked, glancing back and forth between the two girls.

"Make-up!" Lavender replied in an exasperated tone. "Parvati and I were discussing our Wonderful Witch cosmetics line, and _I_ said that we should add holiday-themed products. But Parvati said—"

Hermione abruptly held up her hand, cutting Lavender off mid-sentence.

"Lavender, do you remember what you told me?" she asked pointedly. "Before you dragged me out into the freezing cold today?"

Lavender pursed her lips and looked away. Parvati grinned at Hermione and nodded at her to continue.

"You told me, and I quote, _'Hermione, this is the first New Year's without school and you will not spend it thinking about work like you did on Christmas. We are going out and having fun tonight, whether you like it or not.'_ Remember?" Hermione asked. "I'm not thinking about work. Can you do the same, please?"

"But Hermione!" whined Lavender. "It's make-up! It's not work; it's _life_."

"It counts as work when you have your own clothing and makeup line," Hermione pointed out stubbornly. Lavender pouted.

"I told you it counted as work," Parvati said, laughing at the by-play. "Come on, it's getting too cold for this nonsense. Do you girls want to get a cup of coffee? I really need to warm up."

Hermione nodded in agreement. This was one thing they could all agree on!

While it was still early in the day, the temperature had started off 'cold' and had steadily dropped all day to 'Arctic'. The on-and-off snow flurries weren't helping matters, either. At that moment, a rush of icy wind and snow whipped past the girls, leaving the three of them shivering.

"Oh, this is ridiculous!" Hermione muttered.

Quickly pulling the two girls aside and out-of-view from prying eyes, Hermione let her wand drop out of her wrist holster and fall into her hand. She whispered warming charms over each of them before Parvati or Lavender had even realized what she had done. Grinning, she flicked her wand, returning it to the holster, and tugged the two girls back down the sidewalk.

They had barely stopped for ten seconds and, in the massive sea of people, no one had noticed.

"Look at our Hermione! Risking the exposure of magic and our society, just to stay warm in the cold. What? Were your coat and gloves not enough, princess?" Parvati teased. Her smile let Hermione know that she was grateful and wasn't being mean.

Hermione linked her arm with Parvati's and laughed.

"We both know that Lavender needs the most maintenance out of the three of us!" she said, shooting the aforementioned girl a teasing smile. "If I didn't use the charm, we would have been _constantly_ hearing about how cold it was, and questions upon questions of why I can't just ' _make the bad weather go away_ '—"

"Because you refuse to admit that you can and share the secret with us!" Lavender interjected.

Parvati smirked. Hermione, who was used to her friend's comments, just rolled her eyes.

"I've told you both that if you want a witch that controls the weather, you need to find someone else! It's not my specialty."

Both Lavender and Parvati noticeably perked up at the last bit of information, and Hermione mentally cursed herself. She had kept her magical specialty under wraps since the previous year — and it was important that it remained that way. Although, with every passing day, it was getting harder and harder to do so.

Magical specialties, or disciplines, were normally nothing unusual or extraordinary. Typically, students discovered their specialties in the seventh year of schooling. It was like accidental magic as a child; it just _happened_. Something would click, and a person would learn what their specialty. Most people, like Parvati and Lavender — whose magic was focused and strongest in Potions and Charms, respectively — had common ones. Their magic just _flowed_ when they practiced those disciplines; they knew that form of magic on an instinctive level. Other disciplines were more interesting and much rarer, like Animagus transformations, Parseltongue, or being a weather witch.

But for someone to not reveal their discipline … to keep it a secret. Well, that had never been done before.

"So," Hermione said before Parvati and Lavender could start asking unwanted questions, "didn't you tell us earlier that you had a plan for today?"

"Yes!" Lavender said excitedly with a wide grin. "I'm calling the plan: Kiss the Boy!"

Both Parvati and Hermione groaned, although for entirely different reasons.

"I told you not to call it that!" Parvati said. "Now she won't go for it."

"Seriously?" Hermione asked at the same time.

 _Why does everything revolve around boys with her?_ she wondered.

"Yes, ' _Seriously_ '!" Lavender replied to Hermione, apparently ignoring Parvati's comment. "Listen, it's nothing crazy. We are going to hang out and have a good time _like we planned_. And then, you know … see if we can meet some cute boys and maybe steal a New Year's Eve kiss!"

"Oh, yes that sounds entirely simple," Hermione said sarcastically. "And which boy out there would want to kiss me, when you two gorgeous witches are here?"

Parvati and Lavender looked at each other and sighed.

"Again?" Parvati asked.

"Again," Lavender nodded in confirmation.

Parvati and Lavender quickly hooked arms with Hermione and dragged her in front of a nearby department store window. Standing in front of the sparkling light, they firmly stood on either side of her and held her in place in front of the glass.

"What do you see?" Lavender demanded.

"Warmth," Hermione answered cheekily. "Can we go inside yet?" They hadn't done this to her since the sixth year after she had been publicly stood up at the Winter Ball. She knew where this was going and hated it.

Parvati lightly slapped her arm. "No. You know what we mean."

"But it is warm in there!" Hermione protested. She could see Lavender roll her eyes in the reflection.

"You're never wrong, are you?" she sighed.

"Nope," Hermione replied. "Can we please just go inside and forget about this? What happened to coffee?" Her friends simply chose to ignore her questions and protests.

"Please just look at your reflection and tell us what you see," Parvati said, gently nudging Hermione in the ribs with her elbow.

"I see a frizzy-haired girl with skin that is too pale," she said quickly, barely looking at her reflection.

Parvati reached up and gently tucked a curl that had escaped Hermione's French braid behind her ear. "Well, we don't."

Lavender nodded in confirmation. "I see a beautiful woman—"

"Gorgeous," Parvati interrupted.

"A drop-dead, absolutely stunning witch with hair to die for," Lavender continued with a smile.

"With a perfect complexion," Parvati added. "But that's not all."

Hermione looked at Parvati and Lavender. She could feel her eyes suddenly shine with unshed tears. She _hated_ when they did this to her because it always felt like they were lying. They constantly told her that she was pretty. Lavender had even once told her that she had been the inspiration for a Wonder Witch product. Hermione took it as an insult at first, but Lavender and Parvati had explained that they wanted easy to use products for confident and talented witches on the go.

" _You just looked so pretty and focused leading the Charms study group, that we wanted a product that could help emulate that for other women," Parvati had explained._

Hermione still wasn't sure if they were messing with her or not.

"What else, Parvati?" Hermione whispered. She wasn't fishing for compliments but knew that they had more to say.

"I see a witch with intelligence that matches her beauty, who also has a kind heart," Parvati replied softly. "I know it's hard."

"And I see a woman who is unquestioningly brave and loyal," Lavender added.

Parvati pulled Hermione into a comforting hug. They looked at their reflections together in the window. Lavender leaned into her side, her head resting on Hermione's shoulder.

"I also see a witch who has valiantly put up with her ridiculous friends and deserves some coffee," Parvati said lightly. The two girls stepped away, allowing Hermione to wipe away the tears. She gave a watery chuckle.

"That sounds like a good plan."

"You know what is going to make everything feel better?" Lavender said slyly, as they took off down the sidewalk toward their favorite coffee shop.

"For the love of Merlin, don't say 'boys,'" Hermione muttered. Parvati laughed out loud at her tone.

"Sunshine! And warm weather!" Lavender exclaimed, before sighing dramatically. "If only, _someone_ could change that!"

Parvati and Hermione looked at each other. Parvati snickered at Hermione's look of annoyance.

"I told you, Lavender, that's not my specialty!" she responded.

"And if it is, do you really want to keep antagonizing her?" Parvati questioned. "Knowing her, she'd just make it colder!"

A timely blast of cold wind blew past the girls at that moment. While they couldn't feel the cold due to Hermione's warming charms, Lavender's eyes grew wide in shock.

"You…you… _you_ did that!" Lavender shouted excitedly.

"Spooky, isn't it?" Hermione winked at the stunned girl.

Parvati laughed at her friends' antics. Arriving at the coffee shop, she pulled them inside.

"Hermione, don't take credit for the random acts of nature!" Parvati chided as they moved and stood in line. "And, Lavender?"

"Yeah?"

"You're getting decaf!"

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 **A/N — Edited (by me) on Nov. 29, 2017, in order to fix SPaG errors, transitions, and to add a little more clarity to magical specialties.**


	3. Chapter 2: A Meeting Designed by Fate

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, duh. All rights go to respective owners.**

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 **Chapter Two: A Meeting Designed by Fate**

 **1:52 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

 **Manhattan, New York**

"I don't care about that," Ron snapped, his voice as frosty as the air. "We've been at this for _months_ now! What are we even doing here? _We don't even have a plan!_ "

Harry bit back a sharp retort, as Neville just sighed. There was nothing to really say: Ron was right. They had been aimlessly wandering around New York for months now. Granted, there hadn't been much snow until just a few weeks ago, so it was likely that Sirius' vision couldn't have come true until then anyway. It was just all starting to feel a bit hopeless, and Harry had privately thought more than once that this might have just been a ploy to get him out of England.

"Ron!" he said, a little harsher than he intended. Ron glared at him, and Neville ushered the two of them to the edge of the sidewalk, out of the way — and out of earshot — from the other pedestrians. "I know! I get it. But we're here, aren't we? What else can we do?"

That was apparently the wrong thing to say because Ron's ears turned a vibrant shade of red. It was almost kind of funny. Despite the glamours they used to disguise their appearances, some things never changed.

" _Something_ ," Ron responded hotly. A large group of people closely passed them on the sidewalk, and he lowered his voice. " _Anything!_ Our families and friends are fighting that madman back home and we're just- just _hiding!_ Compared to everyone else, it's as if we're on holiday."

"We have been doing important research," Neville interjected quietly. "I know it feels like that's not enough, but in the long run it could save lives."

Harry nodded in agreement. He silently watched as Ron seemed to deflate. That was the thing about his friend, especially as they had grown older. His temper flared quickly, but could also die just as fast. Although, if it came down to it, he could still hold an impressive grudge.

If he was also being honest with himself, tensions between the three of them had been running high for a while. The endless days of research, dueling practice, and simply waiting had taken its toll. Now was the time that they made some definitive calls.

"We stay here," Harry said his voice hardening with resolve. "We stay here until the end of winter _and_ the last bit of snow melts. If nothing happens by then, we go home and talk with Sirius."

"Not Dumbledore?" Neville questioned. Harry shook his head. He respected Dumbledore, but the older man's beliefs that _love_ would stop Voldemort was more than a bit ridiculous. There had to be other avenues to try before resorting to asking the Headmaster.

"No," he replied, shaking his head slightly. "It was Sirius' vision that sent us here in the first place. If anyone can further explain it, it would probably be him … right? I mean, Dumbledore is smart, but alchemy is his specialty. He's no Seer."

' _Neither is Sirius'_ went unsaid in the following silence, but Harry could feel it hanging almost tangibly in the air between them.

"The Unspeakables also still owe us a favor, after the battle in the Department of Mysteries," Ron offered gruffly, breaking the awkward quiet. "I know we didn't want to call it in before, but if this fails, it might be our next best bet."

"They should have people who specialize in visions and dreams," Neville said, nodding in agreement toward Ron.

"Okay, are we all on the same page then?" Harry asked, feeling vaguely confident for the first time that day. "We stay here until the last bit of snow melts, while continuing our research and training, and only return home if nothing happens by the start of spring."

Ron and Neville nodded. At that moment, a blast of freezing air broke through their fading warming charms. The three of them shivered. The wind was brutally cold. All of a sudden, Harry felt exhausted. He just wanted to sit down in a heated room and relax.

"Let's get inside, yeah?" Neville said, his teeth chattering. He pointed to a coffee shop across the street. They could see through the windows that it was packed with people, but then again so was every other store. "What about some coffee? I could use some."

"I hate coffee," Ron grumbled.

"I'm sure they have food, too," Harry responded, ending the brewing argument before it could begin. "And I bet it's warm in there, so let's go."

Jogging across the street, carefully dodging traffic and patches of ice, the three Hogwarts graduates stumbled into the coffee shop. The line was worse than Harry had originally assumed, but they were already there and waited regardless. Twenty minutes later — now carrying two black coffees and a chai tea — they began looking for the elusive free table, and a girl caught Harry's eye.

She was very pretty; stunning even. Her light brown hair was pulled back in a French braid, and her dark eyes seemed to sparkle. She was sitting in a booth, facing him with her back to the wall. Two other girls sat across from her. Her companions seemed to be looking at something on their phones, quietly laughing between the two of them.

But what really caught Harry's attention was that the brunette was practically _glaring_ at him.

"What's her problem, mate?" Ron whispered in his ear. It seems that he wasn't the only one to notice the odd girl in the booth.

"No clue," Harry replied. He looked at Neville, who shrugged. "Do you think we should go over and ask?"

The words had barely left his mouth when Ron took off through the crowd, weaving his way over to the booth. Harry was more than a little worried about what his occasionally tactless friend was going to say, and he quickly followed.

"Greetings, ladies," Ron said charmingly. The three girls looked up at him, and he smiled broadly. "I couldn't help but notice that you had some extra room at your booth. Do you mind terribly if my friends and I join you? Every other table is full."

The brunette opened her mouth, probably to refuse the offer, but one of her friends — a girl with long blonde hair — beat her to it.

"Of course!" the blonde said, with a small giggle. They moved over — the brunette shifted grudgingly — and Harry and his friends sat down. He had somehow ended up sitting next to the glaring girl, who was anxiously fiddled with a silver bracelet on her wrist.

"My name is Lavender," the blonde stated. "This," she pointed to the girl to her right, "is Parvati. The unusually quiet one is Hermione." The brunette — _Hermione_ , thought Harry — scowled at Lavender, who just smiled sweetly and winked at her.

"Hello," Harry said, smiling at each of them. He made a point to try and be extra warm and charming toward Hermione. "It's lovely to meet you all."

Parvati and Lavender smiled and excitedly returned the sentiment, while Hermione decided to quietly take a sip of her coffee.

"My name is Mark," Neville offered. "The one next to me," he nodded to Harry, "is Thomas. And he's Adam." Ron waved from his spot at the end of the booth.

When the three of them had left England, they had decided to use long-term glamours and aliases. It was unlikely that Death Eaters or Voldemort would have followed them to America — and even less likely that they could have seen through the glamours Ron had cast — but it never hurt to take extra precautions.

Lavender leaned forward. "Are you guys from England? I love your accents!"

Harry quickly lost track of the conversation after that. All he could focus on was the cold shoulder he was getting from Hermione. What was up with that? He had just met her, so he couldn't have done anything to anger her. Actually, as he thought about it, she had glared at him _before_ they had even properly met. So it couldn't be that she was cross with him. The more he pondered the mysterious girl in the booth, the more he thought that it was almost as if…

It was almost as if she didn't _trust_ him.

"Thomas? Thomas!"

"Huh?" he asked, startled out of his reverie and revelation. He found that the entire table was looking at him expectantly. "What's up?"

Ron rolled his eyes, while Lavender giggled.

"I was asking if you wanted to go ice skating with the ladies?" Ron repeated slowly. "Lavender was saying that there's a rink in Central Park near the zoo."

"It's shortened hours today, but it's still open," Parvati said, checking her phone. "Hermione, do you—"

"Want to go ahead with Thomas and get us all tickets?" Lavender interjected quickly. Hermione glared at the blonde, who was pointedly looking between her and Harry.

"I don't think that we need tickets for this, Lav," Hermione replied a little too sweetly. She glanced at Harry, before continuing. "Besides, wouldn't it be best that we all stay together?"

There was a quick and silent battle of wills between the two girls, which Lavender seemed to eventually win.

"I think we'll be able to find one another easily," the blonde said, holding up her phone. "It's not even that far of a walk from where we are now. You're worrying about nothing."

Hermione muttered something under her breath, that to Harry suspiciously sounded like, " _That you know of._ "

Okay, so the girl clearly didn't trust him for some reason.

"Fine," she suddenly snapped. " _Fine._ " She turned toward Harry.

"Are you going to move, so I can get out?"

Neville was already on his feet, allowing Harry to slide out of the booth. He looked down at Hermione, who was incredibly irritated, and offered her his hand, which she ignored. She grabbed her purse and began walking to the door.

"I guess we're leaving then," Harry muttered.

He swiftly made his way through the crowd, following the brunette outside and into the snow.

.oOo.

"I'm sorry about her," Lavender apologized, watching her friend storm off.

Mark smiled kindly at her as he sat back down, while Adam waved it off. They might not mind, but she was extremely confused about Hermione's attitude. Yeah, her friend hadn't liked her "Kiss the Boy" plan, but she was only having fun. Thomas also seemed really nice, if not a bit quiet. At the very least, they could be friends.

Suddenly, her phone buzzed. She glanced down and saw that it was a text from Hermione. Lavender opened it and felt her blood go cold.

 _ **I'm fine, but they're lying. Wands ready.**_

She looked up to see that Parvati had also got a text. Judging by the surprise on her face, it was the same message she had just received.

So these boys had magic and Hermione didn't trust them. Lavender wasn't sure how her friend could possibly know that, but if she knew anything, it was that Hermione's instincts were almost always spot on.

"Everything okay?" Adam asked. Lavender smoothly locked her phone and put it in her purse.

"Yeah, just a text from Hermione," she replied easily. "She asked if we could get extra coffees to go. I wasn't sure it was possible, but it's apparently getting even colder out there."

A little truth to make the lie more convincing.

"That sounds like a good idea," Mark said. She looked over at Parvati, who subtly nodded at her.

 _Now time for some active reconnaissance,_ Lavender thought.

She leaned in close to Adam and rested a hand on his forearm.

"We don't have to leave just yet," she said sweetly, looking up at him through her eyelashes. "We could stay and talk for a little bit longer."

* * *

 **A/N — I hope you all enjoyed the latest chapter! I see you next week with another new one!**


	4. Chapter 3: Trouble Has a Name

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.**

* * *

 **A/N: I'm sorry for not posting last week! Working in retail sucks this time of year; I feel like I barely have enough time to sleep, let alone write anything. Anyway, enough of that — on with the show! Oh, and Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone!**

* * *

 **Chapter Three: Trouble Has a Name (And That Name Is Harry Potter)**

 **2:58 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

 **Between Times Square and South Central Park, New York**

The snow flurries had finally let up, but Harry was now left to deal with Winter Storm Hermione.

It was blatantly obvious that this woman wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. A blind man could see that. What was not so clear, however, was _why_. Despite what Snape had accused him of being all those years ago, he was neither an arrogant toe-rag nor an attention-seeking celebrity. The thought of fame actually made him feel incredibly uneasy. So while having a woman reject him so soundly — and before he had even said one word to her, too — stung more than a little, he wasn't bent out of shape about it.

If anything, he was curious. She didn't trust him, and he didn't know why. Hermione, an incredibly irritated and strangely driven woman that he had only just met, had suddenly become the most intriguing mystery, which he simply had to solve.

In an effort to keep pace with her, he slid past a large group of tourists that were clustered together in the middle of the sidewalk, bumping into a few of them of them in the process.

"Hey!" one of the men shouted. He had a grey scruffy beard and glared severely at Harry. The young former Gryffindor barely took notice, only vaguely observing that the older man glanced at his watch in shock.

" _Hey!_ " the man shouted again. "Get back here!"

"Sorry!" Harry shouted over his shoulder, disappearing into the crowd after Hermione.

No matter what he did, it felt as if she was moving through the crowds like quicksilver. She was a determined woman on some mission that he didn't know or understand, and there were many times where he had to jog to catch up with her. Really, if he was going to be honest with himself, it was rather impressive. It was almost like she was used to blending in and not being noticed.

"Hey," he prompted, breathing a little heavily. He had just rounded a corner and caught up with her … again. "So, do you come here often?"

Silence. Although, he really shouldn't have expected anything less than that. Sirius would have berated Harry — and then mercilessly laughed at and teased him — for trying to use a line that terrible and cliché. Tonks and Remus would have also had a field day with that.

It wasn't even meant to be a line. Harry just wanted to talk to her. They were in a situation where they were apparently stuck with one another. He wanted to get to know her because at the moment, he was basically following a stranger around New York.

 _Because that's not creepy or awkward_ , Harry thought sarcastically.

"Sorry! I didn't mean- not like _that_. I wouldn't!"

There was just resounding silence from Hermione, but this time also with a scathing glare shot his way. He flinched.

"Merl- merlon … is a word. I'm an idiot and also sorry. That came out wrong."

More cold shoulder: She didn't even bother to try to acknowledge his attempted apology. He didn't blame her.

"What I meant was … uh, do you go to Central Park a lot? Like, with your friends?"

Nothing.

Maybe he should try a different tactic.

"This weather sucks, doesn't it?"

Nada.

"Skating is fun, right? I haven't been in a long time. Have you gone recently?"

Still nothing.

"Snow is cold."

Despite his valiant attempts to the contrary, they passed the rest of the trip in silence.

 _If I didn't know any_ better, he thought wryly, running through the crowd once more in order to stay in step with her, _I would say that she doesn't care if I fall behind. Interesting._

Whether or not that was a good or bad 'interesting' would remain to be seen.

Lost in his thoughts, Harry slipped on a large patch of ice that he somehow failed to notice. He crashed to the ground with a surprised shout. Several passersby jumped to the side, out of the way of his flailing body. He groaned and sat up. There were small pebbles scattered on the ice, that were digging into the seat of his pants.

His companion didn't even bother to look back once.

Staggering to his feet, he quickly brushed the small rocks off his jeans.

"Hey! Hermione!" he shouted. "Wait up!"

A group of college-aged guys passed him, all wearing ridiculous New Year's gear.

"Tough luck, dude!" one of the called out, while the others laughed. He ignored them and doggedly continued to follow Hermione. She might be determined to ditch him, but he was just as stubborn and would stick with her.

Other than almost getting left behind multiple times, they made their way through the cold and crowded streets of Times Square with surprising good time. Barely twenty-five minutes had passed since they had left the café, and they were already at the south edge of the park. Two red brick pillars held up the arching sign that proudly displayed the words, "Central Park." Strands of twinkling lights wound up the supports, and snow started to lightly fall again.

It was almost magical.

At the entrance, Hermione paused for a moment. She tilted her head and was staring at … _something_ in the distance. Harry tried to follow her gaze, but he only saw numerous people milling about and walking up and down the different paths.

"Do you know the right way to go?" Harry asked, once again trying to start a conversation with the mysterious woman. Clearly, that was the wrong thing to do.

"What?" Hermione said, bristling at the question. "Of course, I do!"

He held up his hands in surrender and watched as she narrowed her eyes at him. Honestly, this woman had some serious problems with him. At least she was now speaking with him, right?

"Look," he replied firmly. "I didn't mean anything by it. Honest! What's your problem, anyway?" It came out a little more defensive than he had intended, but it felt justified.

She frowned and opened her mouth, only to close it again a second later. Harry watched as a thoughtful expression crossed her face. That was concerning. Before he could ask, she apparently came to a conclusion and nodded to herself.

"It's this way," she said. Abruptly turning, she walked into the park. "Come on!"

"Yes, ma'am," he muttered to himself.

Taking off after her, they walked down the winding paths. Lampposts that still had holiday decorations wrapped around them lined the way. Paths through open fields soon became surrounded by think oak and maple trees. They walked quickly and quietly, and Harry was once again lost in his thoughts.

"You never did say," he prompted after a bit, sidestepping around another patch of ice. "What's your problem with me, anyway? I'm sorry for whatever I did."

"The thing is, _Thomas_ ," Hermione replied disdainfully, coming to a halt, "I don't trust people who hide their identity with glamours."

Harry felt his heart stop. _How could she possibly know that!_ Then it was as if the world was suddenly moving in slow motion.

He realized that they were alone for the first time since they had met; she had somehow managed to lead him to a deserted, dimly-lit stretch of path. Her hand shifted, and he instinctively knew two things: One, she had magic and two, she was going for a wand.

Harry watched her turn to face him, her wand still in the process of falling into her hand. The world was still moving in slow motion for everything else but him. His wand — always kept in a dragon-hide holster on his forearm — snapped into his hand, and he raised it before she could get the first syllables of the spell off her tongue.

" _Expel—!_ "

" _Stupefy!_ "

The world flashed back to real-time speed for Harry. He watched as his spell hit Hermione squarely across the chest. Instead of stunning her, however, the red light splashed harmlessly over her. The light of his failed Stunner appeared to be absorbed into her bracelet.

"What!" Harry shouted, flustered. "How— _Protego!_ "

Hermione had sent two silent spells his way. The red and purple lights sparked over his shield, but they did not harm him. The protection spell held. Her hand went into her pocket — _A second wand?_ — and he canceled the Protego in order to go on the offensive.

" _Expelliarmus! Stupefy! Levicorpus! Petrificus Totalus! Incarcerous!_ "

The witch lithely dodged a couple of the spells sent her way. The jinxes and hexes that she didn't evade were harmlessly absorbed into her bracelet, which was starting to softly glow. She frowned — Harry couldn't tell if she was upset or worried — and he pressed his advantage. Suddenly, she did something completely surprising.

She relaxed and held up her hands. It looked like she was giving up or surrendering.

"What are you doing?" he asked, taking a small tentative step forward, then another. This was not at all what he was expecting.

"Baiting you," she smirked. " _Revelio._ "

The path lit up beneath him. Pebbles once again littered the ground around him, this time forming a rough circle. He tried to run, but his body was frozen in place. Magic held him, and he could feel it as his glamours were torn apart. He looked into the eyes of the victorious witch.

"Who are you?" she asked, her wand once again leveled at him. His jaw dropped.

"You mean you don't know who I am?" he asked, completely bewildered. In any other situation, he would have laughed. It was oddly refreshing to _not_ be recognized.

"Oh, I'm so sorry, your Highness!" she replied mockingly. "I wasn't aware I should know you. Although … you do seem familiar."

"Harry Potter," he blurted out. It took a second, but he saw the exact moment the information clicked in her brain.

"Shit," she muttered. Fiddling with her bracelet, she began to fret. "I didn't— I'm so sorry— Why the hell are you using glamours? Stupid question, Hermione. He's a famous person with a…" She trailed off, her worried expression changing into horror.

"With a target on his back," she whispered.

"Well done, girl," a slimy voice said out of the darkness. "The Dark Lord will thank you generously."

Harry twisted his head — the only part of his body he could move, as the magic still held him in place — and saw five Death Eaters step out of from behind the nearby trees. Lucius Malfoy, Bellatrix Lestrange, Crabbe Sr., Goyle Sr., and Fenrir Greyback were led by the older man Harry had run into earlier. As the scruffy man stepped into the light, his features shifted and twisted into that of Dolohov.

 _Polyjuice_ , Harry thought. Hermione raised her wand at the Death Eaters, but she was clearly outnumbered. Fenrir was grinning malevolently at her.

"Call Him, Bella," Lucius ordered. "Before they get any clever ideas."

"With pleasure!" the crazy witch cackled.

She roughly pushed up her left sleeve and pressed her finger firmly against the Dark Mark on her forearm.

Harry screamed as pain ripped through his scar and forehead.


	5. Chapter 4: Everything That Matters

**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. All rights go to respective owners.**

* * *

 **Chapter Four: Everything That Matters (Take It in Your Fist and Fight for It)**

 **3:33 p.m. on December 31, 1998**

 **Central Park, New York**

 _Shit._

Hermione was somehow able to hold her wand steady, even though Harry was screaming in agonizing pain behind her. The cries pierced through her heart, but she couldn't turn around. Her eyes never left the advancing Dark wizards and witch in front of her. She felt and saw wards go up around them. The man who had previously been under Polyjuice smirked at her.

They weren't getting any outside help.

 _This is all my fault … all my fault!_

"Well done, Bellatrix," the blond man said smugly. He was speaking to the crazy black-haired witch, but he was eyeing Hermione like she was a piece of meat. She involuntarily shuddered, and he sneered. "The Dark Lord will be pleased. We have Potter … and a little witch to play with."

Hermione tightened her grip on her wand and glared at him.

"Like hell you will," she snapped. Her retort, however, went largely unnoticed, as Bellatrix turned her ire on the blond man.

"Don't patronize me, _Malfoy_ ," the older witch spat. "This was all _my_ plan, including to have Dolohov use the personal locator _and_ also charm it to look like a normal wristwatch. This had _nothing_ to do with you!"

"Calm yourself, Bellatrix," Malfoy replied dryly. He appeared entirely unconcerned by her rapidly increasing wrath. "Your display of emotion is unbecoming."

The crazed witch snarled and instead turned her wand on the blond man — only to be stopped by one of the other men. His hair was lank and his eyes were dark; there was something almost feral about him.

"You forget who our enemy is, Black," he said roughly, his strong arm redirecting her wand back toward Harry. Bellatrix paused for a moment, before nodding and refocusing.

"Of course," she snarled. Her gaze flickered momentarily to Hermione; she suddenly realized she had lost a valuable chance to attack when the older witch had been distracted. It wouldn't happen again — that is, if she got another opportunity to do so.

 _I will have another. There has to be another chance_ , she thought determinedly. _I refuse to allow us to die here._

"We really should thank the girl as well," Bellatrix said, her voice now sickeningly sweet. "After all, she was the one who proved me right and incapacitated Potter for us."

 _Shit._

Hermione needed a plan, and she needed one yesterday. But she was frozen. She was going toe to toe against Dark wizards and a witch who were far more ruthless and experienced than her. It wasn't like she had this experience every day.

Suddenly, it was as if things were clicking into place into her brain. That man — _Malfoy_ , she reminded herself — had ordered Bellatrix to call "Him." The older witch had a tattoo on her arm, one that Hermione had seen in the newspapers over the last five or so years. Those two things, plus that they were after Harry freaking Potter, led to only one conclusion.

Voldemort.

Of course, she had heard about the wizarding terrorists from Britain — who hadn't? Their reputation had spread far beyond the borders of the United Kingdom. She knew that MACUSA and other members of the International Confederation of Wizards had recently started the process of considering an intervention since the British Ministry of Magic was doing nothing proactive. That course of action, obviously, was going to take forever. It was the government, after all.

She needed to figure a way out of this and fast, especially since it was pretty much her fault that they were stuck in this predicament.

Harry suddenly stopped screaming and let out a low groan. Hermione heard him slump against the spell circle; she knew that it would still hold him up, even though his muscles had given out.

"You okay?" she asked softly. When there was no response, she tried again a little more firmly. Her eyes were still locked on her Dark opponents.

"Harry, talk to me. _Are you okay?_ " Bellatrix cackled, but she ignored the insane witch. "Harry! What happened?"

"He's almost here."

Her heart pounded wildly against her ribs at his admission; her breath became quick and shallow. Panic as powerful as a Full-Body Bind held her in place. She wanted to run; she wanted to fight. But she couldn't move. She could barely even breathe properly. Hermione continued to train her wand at the Death Eaters, but she was unsure of what to do next. There were too many unknown factors to consider.

 _You think too much, sweetie,_ a soft voice, one that sounded like Parvati, whispered in her mind.

Then Lavender's earlier words echoed in her thoughts: _"And I see a woman who is unquestioningly brave and loyal."_

 _There are things I can't change … and there are things I can_ , Hermione thought. _And then there are things I must change because I have no other choice._

She was hopelessly outnumbered, no question about that. There was the option of releasing Harry from her spell, but then the Death Eaters would just bind him again. She could easily break her own enchantment; it would take too much valuable time to try and reverse someone else's. Another problem was the No-Majs in the park: They were vulnerable, but she couldn't risk exposing magic any more than she already had. She could set up her own wards, but they would only last so long, especially if Voldemort showed up. She could Apparate out with Harry, but then the Dark wizards would just target the civilians — and there was the problem of their wards, too. She didn't know what would happen to the two of them if they tried to cross it.

Unless…

Unless she didn't have to deal with any of that — no No-Majs, no wards, no risking the exposure of magic more than she had.

What if that could all disappear?

She felt the magic in the air, as it tingled across her skin. It had been there since she had entered the park — ancient and powerful enchantments that meshed with her own power.

 _Oh, Deliverance Dane, this just might work_.

Her thoughts were going a million miles a minute. She really couldn't call the half-ideas running through her head a _plan_ , per se. What it was in all actuality was reckless and dangerous, with an incredibly low chance of success.

She couldn't see another way out of their current predicament, however. They could stay here and try to fight the Death Eaters and Voldemort head on. Or she could try and even the field. Either way, Hermione couldn't do anything just yet. As unbelievable as it sounded — and she really couldn't believe that she was even thinking it — she had to wait for the Death Eaters' master to show up.

They also needed to stay alive until then, too. Time for some important reconnaissance and/or distraction, WWLBD style. Also known as: What would Lavender Brown do? And the answer to that was, of course: talk, tease, and act dumb — sometimes all at once with a healthy dose of sass.

She would probably drop the teasing part, though.

"So," Hermione said, forcing herself to sound nonchalant, "what do you guys want with Harry anyway? Also, more importantly, who are you guys?"

Snow began to fall just a little bit harder. The two wizards who hadn't said anything yet — they seemed a little dumb — and the one who had been Polyjuiced looked at each other in confusion. The latter seemed more dangerous than the other two goons.

"Is this a jest?" Malfoy asked incredulously. Harry snorted.

"No, it's an honest question," Hermione replied dryly.

"We are Death Eaters," the blond man responded, still sounding a tad skeptical. "We follow the Dark Lor—"

"No, no, no," Hermione interrupted. She nonchalantly reached her left hand into her pocket, while moving her wand in between the opposing wizards and witch. A little misdirection to help her get— Yes! Her hand grasped a handful of stones in her coat pocket.

 _I think that's enough,_ she thought with worry. This wasn't just an ice forming spell or binding circle, though. What she was going to attempt was something far older and more powerful. There wasn't anything she could do, though. It would have to do.

"Sorry, rewind," she continued aloud. "Did you say 'Death Eaters'? Do you guys eat road kill or something?" A small step and she was a little closer to Harry. No one seemed to notice, especially as Bellatrix became unhinged.

"We serve the Dark Lord!" she screeched. "He has conquered death and will generously reward his most loyal followers! I am among those who have served Him faithfully for decades! Even in Azkaban, I—"

"No, sorry," Hermione interjected again. "A little lost. What's Azkaban?"

Slide and another step, and suddenly she was within reaching distance of Harry. Now, it was a waiting game — although, she had a feeling it wouldn't be that much longer.

"What's your specialty?" Malfoy suddenly asked. The man who had been Polyjuiced nodded in agreement with the other wizard's question.

"What's your parentage?" Bellatrix questioned at the same time.

"What's a specialty?" Hermione replied with mock innocence. "You mean like cooking? Because I'm a terrible cook." The stones began to heat in her palm.

" _She's stalling._ "

She wasn't sure which happened first: the cold voice that sliced through the cold like a knife, or the air suddenly becoming suffocating with an overwhelming Dark presence. It didn't really matter, as Hermione heard soft footsteps in the snow behind her — and then _He_ was next to her.

"Hello," Voldemort said, his wand held idly against her throat. "What are you trying to do, little witch? Escape?"

The Death Eaters laughed mockingly at her.

"Don't look him in the eye!" Harry suddenly shouted, and she instinctively looked at the ground. "He's a Legilimens! That's his specialty!"

" _Crucio._ "

Hermione flinched, but the curse was intended for Harry. He started writhing against the boundary of the spell circle again. His screams were somehow even more agonizing than earlier. She felt Voldemort yank her chin up, and she had no choice but to look into his eyes.

 _Please hold, please hold, please hold,_ she thought frantically, as her bracelet once again began to glow against her wrist. It was swiftly approaching its limit.

"Interesting," Voldemort murmured. He canceled the spell on Harry, and Hermione felt tension release in her shoulders as he stopped screaming. Her bracelet stopped glowing; it had held under the pressure. "The bracelet is blocking my Legilimency. How did you come by it?"

 _Now part two of WWLBD: A little truth to make the lie more believable._

She spat in Voldemort's face. Bellatrix hissed and moved forward, but Voldemort stayed his follower's actions by holding up his hand.

"I bought it while I was in Italy," she snapped, remember the little marker where she bought the plain piece of jewelry, which she had enchanted later. "I didn't know it was charmed. Now get your hands off of me!" Hermione roughly pulled away from his touch.

"You would do well to remember that you are outnumbered, girl," Voldemort hissed. His eyes flashed red, and suddenly her plan changed. She was angry and was going to tell them the truth — and taunt them with it.

"And you would do well to remember," Hermione replied in a tone far more confident than she felt, "that you are outmatched!"

There was deadly quiet. The Death Eaters anxiously looked to Voldemort, to see how he would react to such a challenge. He glared at her before he started to laugh. Bellatrix, Malfoy, and the rest took their cue and also cackled.

"I am not sure how you see that," he replied menacingly. She smiled up at him.

"No, I don't suppose you would," Hermione responded. "After all, I'm the only one in the world that can see what I see."

"And what's that?" Bellatrix interrupted impatiently.

" _Runes._ "

Before anyone could react, she tossed the small stones into the air. Runes briefly glowed on them, before disappearing in a flash. The pebbles then hit the ground and Hermione watched the world explode in a flash of light. She knew the others couldn't see the ancient wards and enchantments that had been laid down in runes during eras long since passed. The runes in the world flashed and tripped the ley lines — and the world shifted sideways.

Harry, the Death Eaters, and even Voldemort were all stunned. Literally. They couldn't see the magic, but they could certainly feel it. Hermione imagined it had a rather unsettling effect. Grabbing Harry by the shoulder, she canceled the binding circle. This was her chance to leave — sort of.

"Later, losers," she said breathlessly, her heart pounding with adrenaline.

With a crack of displaced air, she and Harry disappeared.


End file.
